When I met Don all was perfect. We already knew each other through work when we were accidentally seated together on a trans-Atlantic flight. We were both heading for a 3-day corporate event. There were chemistry and a connection between us. I was starting a divorce and felt lonely. So it was good to feel this big hairy man close to me. He was interesting, attentive and a real gentleman.

After 3 days of work meetings, networking, drinking, dancing and flirting we went up to his room for sex. It felt natural.

It was late and I was drunk. A quickie was all I aspired for. But Don took it slowly and professionally. He turned soft music on. He had condoms. He had shaved his pubic hair. He came across as prepared, experienced and lonely. As I was giving him a massage, I remember thinking that this man hasn’t been touched with love in a very long time. Sex was good, sensual. Vanilla, oral and cuddles.

As we were lying in bed enjoying the post-coital embraces, he took out his Outlook calendar and made plans to see me in the next few months.

“I sometimes have flings, but you are the only one I want to see again,” — Don told me.

At least three other impromptu couples in my company had sex on the sidelines of that event.

When we got back to our respective cities and offices, Don started getting closer through texting. We had an important similarity: we both had troubled marriages that we tried to save for the sake of kids.

Our relationship developed surprisingly fast. He said he was happy to have met me, a woman who made him feel again. A woman he could be honest with. Very early into the relationship, Dot told me he loved me. He said that there is no longer love in his marriage and that he wants to separate from his wife. He asked me to be his exclusive partner. In fact, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. It all sounded wonderful. I agreed. I was going through a divorce and being high on new emotions was just great.